Hydrangea plant named ‘Bulk’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hydrangea  plant named ‘Bulk’, characterized by its upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit; uniform and even growth habit; early and freely flowering habit; large upright flower panicles; and large panicles with white-colored sterile flowers that become red purple in color in the late summer and fall.

Botanical designation: Hydrangea paniculata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Bulk’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHydrangea plant, botanically known as Hydrangea paniculata, andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Bulk.

The new Hydrangea is a chance seedling from an open-pollination of twounknown Hydrangea paniculata selections. The cultivar Bulk wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within theprogeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment inBoskoop, The Netherlands in 1991.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by softwood cuttings inBoskoop, The Netherlands since the summer of 2002, has shown that theunique features of this new Hydrangea are stable and reproduced true totype in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Bulk have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Bulk’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Bulk’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit.    -   2. Uniform and even growth habit.    -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   4. Large upright flower panicles.    -   5. Large panicles with white-colored sterile flowers that become        red purple in color in the late summer and fall.

Plants of the new Hydrangea can be compared to plants of the Hydrangeacultivar Pink Diamond, not patented. In side-by-side comparisonsconducted in Grand Haven, Mich., plants of the new Hydrangea differedfrom plants of the cultivar Pink Diamond in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hydrangea were smaller than plants of the        cultivar Pink Diamond.    -   2. Plants of the new Hydrangea were much more freely branching        than plants of the cultivar Pink Diamond.    -   3. Plants of the new Hydrangea had longer leaves than plants of        the cultivar Pink Diamond.    -   4. Plants of the new Hydrangea started flowering earlier than        plants of the cultivar Pink Diamond.    -   5. Plants of the new Hydrangea had fewer sterile flowers per        inflorescence than plants of the cultivar Pink Diamond.    -   6. Plants of the new Hydrangea had longer lasting flowers        sterile flowers than plants of the cultivar Pink Diamond.    -   7. Plants of the new Hydrangea and the cultivar Pink Diamond        differed in flower coloration in the late summer and fall as        flowers of plants of the new Hydrangea were darker in color than        flowers of the cultivar Pink Diamond.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the unique appearance ofthe new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ from the color values cited in the detailedbotanical description which accurately describe the colors of the newHydrangea.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of atypical plant of the new Hydrangea in the summer.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a side perspectiveview of a typical plant of ‘Bulk’ in August showing the red purplecoloration that develops during the late summer and fall.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet comprises a close-up viewof a typical inflorescence of ‘Bulk’ showing the red purple colorationthat develops during the late summer and fall.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used in theaforementioned photographs and in the following description were grownin Grand Haven, Mich., in ground beds in an outdoor nursery and underconditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions.During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 20 to30° C. and night temperatures ranged from 12 to 20° C. Plants were abouttwo years old when the photographs and description were taken.Photographs and description were taken during the summer and fall.

-   Botanical classification: Hydrangea paniculata cultivar Bulk.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unknown Hydrangea paniculata            selection, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown Hydrangea paniculata            selection, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—By softwood cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About 20 days at 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting or liner.—About two months            at 20° C.        -   Root description.—Thick; creamy white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form/growth habit.—Upright and somewhat outwardly spreading            plant habit; inverted triangle; dense and bushy perennial            shrub; uniform, even and vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of plant plane.—About 75 cm.        -   Plant diameter or area of spread.—About 75 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, about 52 lateral branches            per plant. Pruning will enhance branching potential.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 78 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.            Internode length: About 8.5 cm. Strength: Very strong.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 175B.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple. Length:            About 15.3 cm. Width: About 7.5 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:            Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Serrulate. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Slightly pubescent; rugose. Venation            pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing and fully expanded            foliage, upper surface: 146A. Developing and fully expanded            foliage, lower surface: 146D. Venation, upper and lower            surfaces: 147D. Petiole: Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter:            About 3 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 187C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single fertile and sterile flowers            arranged on large terminal panicles. Sterile flowers with            large showy sepals, but without petals and reproductive            organs. Fertile flowers, inconspicuous, but with petals,            sepals and reproductive organs. Sterile flowers persistent;            fertile flowers not persistent. Fertile and sterile flowers            are not fragrant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit and long            flowering period; flowering from late May until late October            in Grand Haven, Mich.        -   Flower longevity.—Long-lasting flowers; sterile flowers last            about 24 weeks on the plant. As cut flowering stems,            panicles last about four weeks.        -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; one terminal            panicle per lateral branch with about 24 sterile flowers and            about 382 fertile flowers per panicle.        -   Panicle height.—About 16 cm.        -   Panicle diameter.—About 15 cm.        -   Panicle shape.—Conical.        -   Flower diameter.—Sterile flowers: About 4.9 cm. Fertile            flowers: About 9 mm.        -   Flower depth (height).—Sterile flowers: About 1.1 cm.            Fertile flowers: About 9 mm.        -   Flower buds, fertile and sterile flowers.—Length: About            4 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Shape: Elliptic to oval. Color:            Close to 155A.        -   Petals (petals present only on fertile flowers; sterile            flowers do not have petals).—Arrangement: About five.            Length: About 3 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate.            Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening,            upper and lower surfaces: 155D. Fully opened, upper and            lower surfaces: 155D.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Fertile flowers: About five,            fused into a calyx. Sterile flowers: About four. Length:            Fertile flowers: Less than 1 mm. Sterile flowers: About            2.4 cm. Width: Fertile flowers: Less than 1 mm. Sterile            flowers: About 2.4 cm. Shape: Fertile flowers: Connate.            Sterile flowers: Obovate; rounded. Apex: Fertile flowers:            Acute. Sterile flowers: Obtuse to retuse. Base: Fertile            flowers: Fused. Sterile flowers: Cuneate. Margin, fertile            and sterile flowers: Entire. Texture, fertile and sterile            flowers, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            Fertile flowers: When opening and fully opened, upper and            lower surfaces, 155A. Sterile flowers: When opening, upper            and lower surfaces: 155D. Fully opened, upper and lower            surfaces: 155D; color becoming closer to 66A with            development towards the end of summer and early fall.        -   Peduncles.—Angle: Mostly erect. Strength: Strong. Length:            About 13.3 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Texture: Smooth. Color:            147D.        -   Pedicels.—Angle, fertile and sterile flowers: Variable,            dependent on position in the panicle; erect to about 90°            from vertical. Strength, fertile and sterile flowers:            Strong. Length: Fertile flowers: About 3 mm. Sterile            flowers: About 2.7 cm. Diameter: Fertile flowers: About            1 mm. Sterile flowers: About 1.5 mm. Texture, fertile and            sterile flowers: Smooth. Color, fertile and sterile flowers:            155A.        -   Reproductive organs (reproductive organs present only on            fertile flowers; sterile flowers do not have reproductive            organs).—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About ten. Anther            shape: Round. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther color: 155A.            Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 155A. Pistils: Pistil            quantity per flower: Three, fused. Pistil length: About            4 mm. Stigma shape: Oval. Stigma color: 155A. Style length:            About 1 mm. Style color: 155A. Ovary color: 155A.        -   Fruit.—Type: Capsule, dehiscent. Length: About 5 mm.            Diameter: About 3 mm. Shape: Urn-shaped. Color: Close to            177A.        -   Seed.—Minute, dust-like. Length: Less than 0.5 mm. Diameter:            Less than 0.5 mm. Color: Brown.-   Disease/pest resistance: Under commercial production conditions,    plants of the new Hydrangea have not been observed to be resistant    to pathogens or pests common to Hydrangea.-   Weather tolerance: Plants of the new Hydrangea have been shown to be    tolerant to temperatures ranging from −35 to 38° C. Flowers of    plants of the new Hydrangea relatively tolerant to wind and rain.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plant named ‘Bulk’, asillustrated and described.